2013 review: Nelson redshirted as a true freshman, but former coach Bill O’Brien lauded him quite often … which was pretty unusual for a first-year player. O’Brien even said back on signing day that, “We think he’s going to be a heck of a player.” That might sound like Coachspeak -- and maybe it was -- but O’Brien was very careful not to do that with players outside of Christian Hackenberg. O’Brien expected a lot out of Nelson and placed pretty high expectations on his shoulders.

Why spring is so important: Nelson will almost have to be the starting right tackle by default, so his importance cannot be understated. He’s the only true returning tackle on scholarship, outside of starting LT Donovan Smith, and he’s kind of a wild card to fans and the media since no one outside of the team has seen him in action. This spring -- and the annual scrimmage -- will help reveal just what the Nittany Lions have in Nelson, who almost seems a lock to become a four-year starter.

Best-case scenario: Nelson catches on quickly and performs like a healthy Smith from 2012. He’s not yet an All-Big Ten player and he’s not one of the top two or three players on the line, but he’s also not a weak point. He makes long strides as the season progresses, however, and fans already consider him a future NFL draft pick by the time his 2014 campaign is over. He lays the foundation for a solid career.

Worst-case scenario: Nelson just isn’t ready to block Big Ten defensive ends, but James Franklin really has no other place to turn. Offensive line coach Herb Hand is forced to reshuffle the line, maybe plugging in true freshman Chasz Wright or seeing if OG/OT Anthony Alosi fares any better, because Nelson struggles. The right side of the line is a weakness of the Nittany Lions all season, and Hackenberg takes more hits and sacks as a result.